UAAG CH91

The McFly F485 has a total of three black boxes, the most critical of which, the main black box, is located in the tail.

The black box salvaged this time was one of the two beneath the cockpit, and it had suffered some data damage. The mechanical operation data it recorded was not comprehensive, but it did record all the dialogue sounds in the cockpit. Because of the irreparable damage, the pilot dialogue that everyone heard was intermittent, and the crucial last few minutes were missing.

After carefully studying the flight data and repeatedly confirming the cockpit recordings, Old Joseph looked at Zhuo Huan. Upon receiving a nod of approval from the latter, he stepped forward.

Old Joseph: “Regarding the salvage operation for the other two black boxes and the aircraft wreckage, it is still ongoing. Based on the information currently available, first of all, the investigation headquarters has decided to rule out, to a certain extent, subjective human factors.”

As soon as these words fell, a rustling discussion broke out in the conference room.

Soon, Lawrance, representing the NTSB, endorsed this view: “Before today, one of the main suspected causes of the Rogue 318 crash was Captain Qi Zhifeng hijacking the plane to commit suicide. It now appears that when the aircraft malfunction occurred, it was not being piloted by the captain. Although he later took control of the aircraft and failed to save it, we agree on the non-subjective factors concerning the captain.”

The investigator sitting next to Lawrance nodded and added, “Captain Qi was an excellent pilot; we are all very clear on this. Although we don’t know why he didn’t turn off the autopilot and use manual control to save the plane, judging from some data commands in the last few minutes, I think he was taking certain measures.”

Everyone agreed one after another.

However, at the very front of the group of NTSB investigators, the solemn-looking blond man lowered his head, looking at the computer screen in front of him. After a long time, he spoke: “We cannot completely rule out the factor of pilot suicide for the time being.”

The conference room suddenly fell silent.

Levy Andrew’s voice was calm: “Qi Zhifeng, this captain had a very impressive resume. He was an excellent Air Force instructor in China. I really can’t imagine why he didn’t turn off the autopilot. This is something even a rookie pilot knows. According to the flight data chart, before the plane lost gravity and crashed into the sea, the captain had about five seconds to operate without external influence. For an experienced pilot, that is enough.” Pausing, he turned to look at Zhuo Huan, “Patrick, what do you think?”

Zhuo Huan was twirling a fountain pen in his hand, the black metal pen spinning between his slender fingers. He glanced at Andrew and sneered, “So what I said was, rule out subjective human factors to a certain extent.”

Levy Andrew’s face darkened.

Lawrance frowned: “What does that mean?”

Old Joseph smiled slightly. “Perhaps you didn’t understand what I just said, my friend. What I mean is that the investigation headquarters has tentatively ruled out the act of the captain directly hijacking the plane to commit suicide. You all heard it: when the plane malfunctioned, the captain wasn’t even in the cockpit, and the behavior of the two co-pilots wasn’t suspicious either. However, regarding the subsequent pilot operations, due to data damage and the fact that the other black boxes haven’t been salvaged, we currently cannot know why they didn’t turn off the autopilot system. Therefore, we cannot rule out two human causes at present—”

“First, the captain still exhibited passive piloting. Faced with the critical moment of saving the plane, he hesitated, ultimately causing an unbearable tragedy.”

“Second, non-subjective accidental errors by the pilots. I don’t need to explain this one, right?”

Everyone nodded in understanding.

Lawrance discussed in a low voice with Deputy Director Andrew for a few sentences, then looked up: “We also accept this viewpoint.”

Old Joseph laughed. “Good, then next are the most direct objective causes.” After speaking, Old Joseph looked at an NTSB investigator, who immediately stood up and began reading the materials he had consulted and compiled: “The McFly F485 first flew in 2016 and entered the civil aviation commercial sector. Since then, as of last month, a total of four accidents have occurred.”

“The most serious one was Rogue 318.”

“Of the other three, one was due to pilot negligence, one was a maintenance error, and one occurred two months ago, causing no casualties. The NTSB has not fully investigated the cause yet, but there is already a primary internal speculation: it is related to the design of the aircraft’s condensation pipes.”

“Currently, regarding the design issues of the McFly F485, only the condensation pipes are in question.”

Old Joseph took over his words: “Correct, so the next two possibilities are component damage and design issues.”

An airplane is a massive and complex steel machine.

Calling it a steel castle would not be strange.

A civil airliner is composed of millions of parts. Even if maintenance personnel check carefully every time, omissions can occur. Most omissions will not cause problems, or only cause trivial small problems that are quickly fixed by ground crew. Only a very small portion of omissions will lead to tragedy.

When designing airplanes, some adjustable space is given for these omissions.

Air crashes seem easy to happen, but actually, they are also very difficult to happen.

However, component damage is definitely one of the suspicious causes for Rogue 318.

Apart from that, there are design issues.

Zhuo Huan said indifferently, “No plane dares to say it will never have an accident. No designer can design a flawless plane.”

Fu Cheng watched him quietly.

Under the white light, his expression was calm, as if he were saying something unrelated to himself: “‘Flawless’—these words can never be equated with airplanes. The design of the McFly F485 definitely has flaws.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the conference room was in an uproar.

Lina held her forehead helplessly. She was incredibly glad this wasn’t a press conference. Otherwise, as soon as Zhuo Huan said this sentence, reporters would definitely embellish it, and tomorrow headlines like “Rogue 318 Crash, Actually Due to Design Flaws?!” would be seen in major newspapers.

Levy Andrew was silent for a moment. “This is currently one of the most excellent aircraft.”

Zhuo Huan glanced at him and didn’t respond.

But everyone present knew that praise from an enemy is the most sincere praise.

Zhuo Huan raised his chin towards the McFly ground flight team. “Regarding potential design flaws, can McFly provide an F485?”

The McFly personnel discussed for a while and said, “Yes, McFly will transfer an F485 from Los Angeles tomorrow.”

Seeing that Zhuo Huan spoke no more, Old Joseph beside the projection screen took a deep breath and concluded: “Then the current situation is like this. The investigation team is divided into three groups. One group investigates pilot issues, one group investigates component issues, and one group investigates the aircraft’s own design issues.”

Lawrance: “In addition to this, we are continuing to calculate the exact landing location of the aircraft.”

Hearing this, Zhuo Huan turned back to look at him: “Any results?”

Lawrance looked troubled: “Not much progress, but there is already a certain direction.”

The first investigation headquarters meeting for Rogue 318 ended just like that.

McFly personnel immediately mobilized an aircraft from the factory. The investigators from UAAG and NTSB had no time to waste; they turned and threw themselves back into their work.

Salvaging one black box solved the confusion in many people’s hearts for five years, but it also brought more questions.

Why did the plane suddenly veer to the right?

Why didn’t the pilots turn off the autopilot system?

Everyone had a premonition that solving these two problems would solve the mystery of Rogue 318’s crash into the sea.

Unlike the tense atmosphere at the beginning of the meeting, when the meeting adjourned, everyone packed up their materials silently without much speech.

Fu Cheng sat in his chair, looking up at the projection screen which had turned blue.

Zhuo Huan and Su Fei were discussing the repair technology for the black box. The punk teenager was very certain it couldn’t be repaired further, but Zhuo Huan hoped he could repair more.

Su Fei broke down: “Even if you bring a god here, it’s useless!”

People in the conference room left one by one. Soon, only the few members of UAAG remained in the empty, spacious room.

Zhuo Huan clicked his tongue irritably: “If it can’t be fixed, then keep fishing. There are two black boxes left.”

Old Joseph: “Reid, that’s not right. Why don’t you mention that there’s a whole aircraft wreckage left at the bottom of the sea? It’s not easy to find two black boxes. Compared to the whole plane, they are too small. They might have been knocked who knows where by the impact, maybe they aren’t in the aircraft wreckage at all.”

Zhuo Huan: “Oh, then keep searching.” He turned back to Su Fei: “As much as possible, keep repairing.”

Su Fei: “…”

“Is this still a life for humans!!!”

The voices of his companions gradually blurred in his ears. Fu Cheng closed his eyes, as if returning to half an hour ago.

From the static-filled speaker came that familiar voice.

Many years ago, when he first entered the Air Force training camp, it was this voice that explained various flight knowledge to him.

Many years ago, it was also this voice crying bitterly in the hospital, telling them students that he was going to retire, he was going to make money, he needed to support his family.

Was it the teacher’s fault?

NTSB Deputy Director Levy Andrew still reserved his opinion.

Even Zhuo Huan, Old Joseph… none of them said it definitely wasn’t the pilot’s fault.

But suddenly, a firm belief arose spontaneously from the bottom of his heart.

For five years, he had doubted the mentor he trusted time and time again, and time and time again he had spat on himself in annoyance for his wavering. But at this moment, Fu Cheng suddenly felt…

“It has nothing to do with him.”

“Which him?”

Fu Cheng raised his head. Zhuo Huan, hands in his pockets, walked towards him step by step.

Zhuo Huan raised an eyebrow slightly: “Hmm?”

Fu Cheng didn’t answer but said: “You think it’s a design problem?”

Zhuo Huan was silent for a moment: “Did I say that?”

Fu Cheng: “Didn’t you?”

After a long while, Zhuo Huan turned back to look at Su Fei who was pouring out his grievances, as well as Old Joseph who was comforting him and Lina who was suppressing her laughter. He gave a soft “Ah” and said, “Didn’t I tell you a year ago?”

“Tell me what.”

“From beginning to end, I always felt it was a problem with the plane itself. Whether it’s component damage or design flaws.”

“Why?”

Zhuo Huan pointed to his head with his finger and said casually, “Aircraft designer’s intuition.”

Everyone else had left, leaving only the five UAAG members in the conference room.

The five walked towards the conference room door together. Zhuo Huan turned back: “Overtime today. Extract the cockpit recording more clearly. Have you heard that recording yourself? What is that stuff? A Harvard graduate brings out this kind of semi-finished product?”

Su Fei stared wide-eyed: “Damn, do you know how severely damaged that black box is? Do you know how much effort I spent to get it to this state?”

Zhuo Huan: “Oh, I don’t know.”

Su Fei: “…”

Zhuo Huan: “But you have to work overtime. No overtime, salary deduction.”

Su Fei gritted his teeth in anger. He stared fixedly at Zhuo Huan’s back, and finally couldn’t hold back: “Today is my fucking birthday! RIP, are you even human!”

Zhuo Huan, Fu Cheng, Lina, and Old Joseph stopped together.

They turned back.

Lina laughed lightly: “It’s not your first day knowing Reid’s temper. Isn’t he just like this?”

Su Fei: “…But today is my birthday.” His voice got smaller and smaller: “You guys get gifts and cake for your birthdays, but I have to work overtime, and get my salary deducted if I don’t.”

Suddenly, with a click, the conference room plunged into darkness.

Su Fei opened his eyes wide in astonishment, but the tightly closed conference room door was pushed open from the outside. Lawrance, who had just left, had returned at some point. He was holding a cake with two number candles stuck in it. One was “1”, the other was “8”. Lawrance walked over holding the cake and handed it to Lina: “I don’t know why you guys wanted me to help with this favor, and were sure I would agree. Dear Lina, I am really busy. I haven’t slept well for days.”

Lina smiled: “Thank you, Lawrance.”

Lawrance spread his hands. Before leaving, he waved to the punk teenager: “Happy birthday, little boy who just became an adult.”

Lina put the cake on the conference table. She took out a small gift box from the cabinet under the conference table and handed it to Su Fei.

“Happy birthday, Fly.”

Su Fei opened it and saw a Rolex watch.

Next was Old Joseph. He was wearing a thick down jacket. No one expected his gift to be right in the large pocket of the down jacket: “Happy birthday, Fly. Congratulations, you can finally drink alcohol.”

His heart felt a bit bitter, but also sweet and sour. The punk teenager pursed his lips, pretending to be calm as he accepted Old Joseph’s gift: “What are you doing? Playing so many tricks just to give me a birthday gift, and deliberately making me work overtime. In the end, aren’t you still giving me gifts? Old Joseph, what did you give? The box is quite big… Holy shit! The latest game console!”

Old Joseph laughed heartily: “How is it? Satisfied? This is expensive, already out of print. It cost me more than half a month’s salary!”

Su Fei was overjoyed, but he snorted reservedly and looked at Zhuo Huan: “RIP, where’s your gift? You just made me work overtime, nice acting. Where is the capitalist’s gift? I don’t want anything cheap!”

Zhuo Huan sneered, too lazy to pay attention to him: “The overtime is real. You thought I was acting?”

Su Fei: “…”

“Don’t be like this! Then where is your gift!”

Fu Cheng: “Teacher Zhuo and I bought a gift together.”

Su Fei was stunned: “Ah, Brother Fu, you guys did it together? Where is it?”

Fu Cheng took out his phone: “It was hard to bring over, so it’s in your office.”

Su Fei looked at Fu Cheng’s phone screen: “What is it…”

His voice stopped abruptly.

The punk teenager’s eyes grew wider and wider, and his mouth slowly opened. His gaze became increasingly fervent, until finally, he stared almost obsessively at the assembled computer on Fu Cheng’s phone screen, looking up impatiently to ask Fu Cheng: “What CPU?!”

Lord Zhuo said languidly: “7742.”

Su Fei whipped his head around to look at him: “Motherboard?”

Zhuo Huan: “Dual EPYC.”

Su Fei: “What about the graphics card? Is it RTX?!”

Zhuo Huan: “Mn.”

Su Fei: “Holy shit!!! Memory, speakers, solid state…”

Zhuo Huan said impatiently: “Can’t you go look yourself?”

The next second, Su Fei was about to rush towards the office.

Zhuo Huan: “Overtime tonight.”

Su Fei: “Overtime, overtime, overtime! Working overtime with this computer, I’m willing to work overtime for a lifetime!!!”

Watching the punk teenager’s flying back, everyone couldn’t help but laugh. Even Zhuo Huan hooked the corners of his mouth.

Everyone walked towards the office together, incidentally bringing along the cake that Su Fei had abandoned and which had fallen out of favor.

Old Joseph and Lina walked in front, talking and laughing non-stop.

Fu Cheng and Zhuo Huan walked behind.

“Fu Cheng.”

“Hmm?”

“Kiss me.”

“…Hmm?”

“Hmm?”

Fu Cheng thought for a moment: “Why so… sudden. Did something happen?”

Zhuo Huan said indifferently: “Oh, nothing. Just want you to kiss me. Not allowed?”

The next moment, the young man looked up slightly, meeting him with a warm and gentle kiss.

There is always something that softens the cold corners of the eyes.

Life is inherently romantic and gentle.

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